Trucking companies and individual drivers have expressed concerns for the safety of drivers and the cargo they haul following the “defund the police” movement in the wake of the police custody death of George Floyd in late May.
According to the Epoch Times, 77% of truckers said in a recent poll conducted by CDLLife—a large community for truck drivers—that they will refuse to deliver to cities that had defunded their police departments.
Cities across the country—including major metropolitan areas such as Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles—have begun efforts to take budget funding now allotted for law enforcement and redirect those monies to social programs.
The truck drivers who are assigned to deliver everything from groceries to building materials have said in full throat that their own personal welfare and the security of the goods they are hauling that areas that have removed or reduced police services may be in jeopardy if police departments are defunded.
CDLLife posted a poll on the organization's app, asking, "Would you pick up/deliver to cities with defunded or disbanded police departments? Why or why not?"
The organization posted some of the responses to the CDLLife website, including comments such as:
"…if something was to happen and you have to take matters into your own hands, and then you risk being prosecuted for protecting yourself."
"I will not deliver to an area with a disbanded police department. My life matters and I do this for my family. We are already at the mercy of these towns and cities with laws and hate against us for parking, getting a meal or even using a restroom."
"For my own safety and security of my customers' loads, I have already informed my dispatcher that I will refuse all loads to cities that have defunded their police departments."
